Soldiers of War
by Mishimash
Summary: The earth constantly evolves and so do its inhabitants but sometimes evolution needs a little push.
1. Chapter 1

Anyone who's ever read a Night world book will know that the concepts typical of the series are not mine! Enjoy and don't be afraid to give feedback – it encourages me to write more!

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**::chapter one::**

"_In other local news today, outspoken minister of resources and technology, Dr. Robert Bernhan, has died early this morning. We'll cross over to Stephanie Tanier for more details."_

"_Thanks Chris. According to police statements just released, Dr. Bernhan has indeed passed away. As one of the founding co-directors of the world's second largest biotechnology companies, Overland, Dr. Bernham was recently appointed minister of resources and technology. Reports came in early this morning that the minister was found dead in his car on the driveway of his family home. Apparently…"_

The news reporter neatly dressed in a pale purple blouse, glanced at her holographic pad held in front of her as tiny news blurbs scrolled across the bottom of the giant screen plastered on the high rise tower but no one seemed to pay any attention. They continued on with their baskets full of groceries, occasionally glancing behind to bark at their children to keep up. Scuttling across the market square, head down, lists in one hand and another guarding their pockets. Monday mornings were always bustling with shoppers. It was market day after all, the day to restock supplies and the only day anyone ever really left their humble shacks besides to look for work. Burly shopkeepers would bellow about their produce and thrust handfuls of freshly cleaved meat around while poor women would drag unsuspecting customers to their makeshift stalls. In the background, bridges and pylons sprawled above, covering the sky from view as projected images covered the length of buildings flashed with colourful kitsch commercials advertising everything from the latest gadget, to soft drinks and even brothels.

"Get your fresh produce here! We've got carrots going for five dollars, potatoes at five, get your broccolis for seven dollars!"

"Nine a bag of apples! Cheapest you'll find, come and grab your apples!"

As she followed the slow stream of moving bodies, something caught Maya's eye on the other side of the stalls.

"'Ave a look at our gen'wine amulets craf'd from tha skilled folk from tha southern border. Don' be shy, you'll never grab 'em wi'out these!"

Gripping the calico bag in her arms, she squeezed between two women to have a look, almost dropping a bag of yo-yo cookies along the way. Beautiful, shimmery gems of all colours, shapes and sizes were inlaid into twisted wreaths of silver and gold, capturing the light and reflecting a different colour at each angle. Maya loved the twinkle inside amber pieces and the rustic gold flecked into turquoise rings. The mass of colours reminded her of the pendants and rings her mother used to wear. A nice little gift for herself every once in a while wouldn't hurt...

"Ou'a tha way luv, if yain't gonna pay then move 'side!" croaked the shabby looking shopkeeper and she whacked her cane into Maya's leg for good measure.

"Ow! Hey, watch it, you old coot!" Maya bit back, turning to elbow her way back through the thick crowd. The croak continued with her pitches, slowly fading into the constant buzz of the market.

"Thinkin' a teachin' 'em a lesson? Try tha real stuff!"

Trying to rub her leg while balancing her bag and the bread loaf in her arms, Maya weaved around the rows of stalls, crossing items off her shopping list. Frankly, Maya hated the market. The close proximity of bodies everywhere, climbing over each other to grab the last of the canned vegetables. It was a constant reminder of human instinct: fight or you won't survive. A cruel reminder of the terrible things that one can do to another. No one cared if you fell on the street, they'd try to take your wallet but they wouldn't stop to help. Just like how no one cared that a man had just died, possibly been murdered.

Still, life continues and there are usually two things on everyone's mind on a Monday morning: get the groceries and get back home in one piece, although she was headed back to the laboratory instead of home. Drawing the short end of the straw, it was her week to refill the kitchen stocks and as a result, she was now battling her way out of the market down in the slums.

There were all types of shady characters down in the slums, an area home to roughly three quarters of the city population who had been living here ever since the global recession hit. That was almost a century ago, when nature seemed to reach its' peak, unable to withstand the rapid expansion of global populations. Experts agreed at the time that climate change was the ultimate cause. Human greed pillaging the land, sudden changes in sea temperatures, the el Niño effect – it was all disturbing the natural growth of the planet. It accumulated into one big fireball that rained down on each continent. Labelling the events as severe natural disasters would have been an understatement.

The resulting mess was a social gap so wide that the remaining survivors were left on their own to pick up the pieces while the corporate companies preyed on the vulnerable. Across the world, it was the same situation; everyone was left to fend for themselves while the governments pretended to help while secretly lining their pockets. A century later and peace and prosperity was still no where to be seen.

Maya had to count herself fortunate. Coming from a middle class family, she lived above the slums and it showed whenever she had to venture down. Her mid-length black hair was neatly tied back today, showing off her pale skin and bright brown eyes. Just because she worked a decent job in a laboratory didn't mean she had to dress up every day but even when she was wearing a thick overcoat with a plain black skirt, she still stood out. No wonder that old hag hit her. She looked too clean, too fresh to be a native of the slums.

A buzz alerted her to an incoming call. Shifting the bags to one arm and propping it up from the bottom with her knee, Maya quickly pressing the button on her connexin ear piece. Holographic blue bars slid across Maya's vision with the words: Tahlia Goodwin. Her image soon followed and she saw Tahlia holding a snack bar with her lab glasses propped on her head like a headband.

"Maya Hart, where are you?! I'm gettin' hungry and lunch is ticking by quick!" she whined, pointing to her watch. Maya sighed as she headed for the skyrail platforms.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Look if you wanted it quick then why didn't _you_ come out with me? Do you _know_ how heavy your stuff–"

"_The next skyrail will be departing for Fairmont. Please stand on the yellow arrows. The next rail will be departing for Fairmont. Please stan…"_

"Oh, the rail is about to come, I'll be there in 10 minutes! Terminate call!" she disconnected the call and the holographic image slid to the left of her vision.

The hum of the skyrail was getting louder as Maya raced to the scanning gates. With her arms full, she was thankful the ticketing gates were automated scanners and not the old ticket swipes. A green light flicked on with a _ding!_ as she passed the scanners and crammed onto the carriage, bumping every person in her path along the way. Full carriage, again. No seats but at least she was grateful for the warm blast of air that was blowing from the air vents. The skyrail gave a hoot and smoothly accelerated ahead along the bridge towards the city's medical district.

…

"…_no word on the cause of death, but reports state that the car was heard running for at least two hours or so until one of the neighbours noticed Dr. Bernhan's body at five o'clock. Police are treating this case very carefully and have not ruled out homicide at this point. That's all for now, back to you Chris."_

"_Thanks, Stephanie. Looking at today's stock figures, a slight jump by Ignis Tech was the only positive sign today by the science sector while the big banks fell…"_

"Yes, I've just heard the news…it's quite unfortunate…and the directives?...Yes, of course. I understand. Thank you, sir."

Catherine pulled the ear piece out of her ear, setting it onto the glass table and pressed a button on her console. The image of the news anchor disappeared and the holographic projector quietly slid into the ceiling and the blinds automatically drew open.

Stepping to the front of her desk, Catherine caught her reflection in the mirror on the wall, giving herself a good once over. For someone who was three-hundred and forty-five, she was still hot. Straightening her skirt and unbuttoning the top button of her blouse, she was careful to show only a peak of cleavage before applying a fresh coat of ruby red lipstick. Tossing her thick wavy mane behind her a final time, she buzzed her console again. A projected image of her receptionist appeared before her.

"Janis? Send the client in, would you?"

A moment later and a black haired man dressed in a black suit walked through the sliding doors into her luxuriously furnished office. The deep blue eyes were a stark contrast to the pale skin and dark attire he wore. Catherine smiled like a cat as she leaned onto the edge of her desk. She knew he was far too young for her but that never stopped her. He just looked so…youthful like he had an abundance of energy just waiting to burst. In her experience, that was something she needed in her bed.

"It's so good to see you again, Tarius. Take a seat," she gestured to the leather sofas, "can I get you anything?"

Tarius took a seat, shaking his head, "No thank you, I'm quite alright, Catherine. Is Marius here?"

"I'm afraid my partner is in Paris today. He has been overseeing the new manufacturing plant we've acquired recently. How has it been adjusting to the Council? You were most impressive during the last meeting; Lucifer was quite aggressive but I was relieved to see that you handled yourself well."

She turned around and picked up a black folder, walking over to him.

"It hasn't been too hard. I've been shadowing the Senator's activities for a while so I've adjusted quickly, thank you for asking." he said politely. Always so formal like he was scared of her; she wanted to see him relax a bit.

"Well, we were concerned when we heard about Lord Boron and his condition. Do send him our well wishes for a speedy recovery." she said while placing a hand lightly on his shoulder.

Tarius politely nodded and gave no other response. She took a seat, daintily crossing her legs and slid the folder across to him.

"This is the report from the board meeting yesterday. I'm glad to be telling you that the progress we've made from all our outsourcing projects has almost completed. We're nearing the finalisation process and we're expecting mass production by mid-next year. I'm sure you will find the details of the report very interesting." she smiled.

"I'm sure it will be. There were a few concerns raised in the previous report by one of the companies. I'm assuming that has been resolved?"

Catherine gave a knowing grin. "The problem is being taken care of as we speak, you won't need to worry about it but...if you have time, we can discuss this during lunch…" she smoothly said, testing the waters.

Tarius examined the handheld reader, swiping his finger over the screen, satisfied the contents were in full and skimmed the papers accompanying the report before snapping the folder close. He barely showed any reaction to her suggestion until he finally looked up.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible. I have a prior engagement I'm afraid."

She felt a weight suddenly thump across her chest. He refused her offer and worse, he didn't even look at her!

"Thank you for the update, Catherine. I'll be sure to inform the Council of the latest developments after I review the report."

Catherine watched him leave with a sly smile on her red lips. She'd get him sooner or later.

…

Arms brimming with bags stocked with groceries, Maya set them down onto the bench of the tiny office kitchenette and began to unpack as Tahlia walked in.

"How were the scavengers today?" she asked with a bright smile. The voluptuous blonde was glowing from the way she was bouncing around the bench.

"You're in a good mood today, what happened to you last night? By the way I got whacked by an old hag and someone grabbed my ass on the train, thanks for asking. You could have helped by coming along." Maya grumbled with a frown while twisted her leg slightly to check there were no lasting marks. She knew she should have worn pants today instead of the pencil skirt.

Tahlia grinned devilishly and began filling the fridge.

"You know I'm allergic to slummers. By the way, last night was _amazing_," she raved on, "Dom and I both tried the tonic and we were going at it for _hours_ last night. He could barely move this morning! God, I've never had such a wild experience! Where did you say you bought it from?"

"I told you I didn't buy it. And it was a birthday present – I can't tell you where it's from!"

Automated door slid open with a zip and Kayle walked in, tying her long dark-brown hair back. She was in her mid thirties like Tahlia but she actually acted her age. It was no wonder she had been recently promoted to senior researcher, she was dedicated and efficient, reliable and observant. Her higher status in the laboratory meant that she was the go-to when there was trouble but outside of work, Tahlia and Kayle played the part of the older sisters Maya never had.

"Guys, will you hurry it up? Goddard is coming soon so get ready for the meeting!"

...

Dr. Clancy Goddard was one of the foremost experts in the biotechnology industry. Prolific and intelligent, she was a driving force for many advances that helped revolutionise aid for the disabled and improved the living standards of the poor despite her tender age of forty-four compared to her much older peers. Joint partnership with Overland, the top developer of medical cybertronics, meant that she was able to develop a synthetic 'injectable skeleton' that fused with the template bone structure, giving a new lease of life for the elderly and those who were suffering from bone diseases.

Their next venture was towards integrating prosthetics into the body but the sudden collapse of Overland meant that the project required funding from another source. That came in the form of Overland's biggest rival, Biogenics, which specialised more in biomolecular neuroscience technology. The result was the production of cyborg parts that were able to fluidly move as the brain instructed, even performing the most delicate of work such as threading a needle. Clancy Goddard was a role model but her tough, no-nonsense, result-driven personality meant she had little patience for errors.

"How was your trip?" asked Tahlia as they gathered in Clancy's office.

She passively waved her hand and brushed her wavy red hair behind her ears.

"The conference was like any other. Old men smoking their cigars while they argued about the significance of gene regulation procedures. Completely out of touch and uninterested in the advancement of medical technology." she said indifferently.

"Well, we are doing some pretty cutting edge stuff that involves tinkering with the genetic code..." offered Terry, a gangly-looking rookie who officially joined the team as a postdoctorate a month ago.

"I don't know why I accepted the invitation. They don't even care about what I say...anyway, enough of that. What's the progress on the coding, Kayle? Have you got that sorted yet?"

Taking out a transparent plastic board with metal tapering on the sides, Kayle swiped a card across the magnetised strip on the board and digitised graphs appeared on the PDA. Dragging her fingers across the board, cell culture images of spindle–shaped cells scattered around a massive clump of cells appeared with a genetic sequence of rows upon rows of four letters arranged in random order.

"What we had produced previously was a result of an incorrect primer that started to synthesise the strand here," she pointed to a spot in the sequence, "we've changed the primer with the one you provided us and it actually starts here."

She pointed to another spot further down the page. "We did all the tests and all the major protein fragments were present."

"Yes, that does look much better. Okay, what about the cells?" Clancy asked while examining the various blot tests on the screen. Kayle looked to Maya to continue and she leaned forward to reach the PDA.

"The cells that we altered actually worked perfectly and we incubated them with the antibody formula that our volunteer patient provided." Here she tapped at one of the images and an enlarged image showed an immature reconstruction of a hand.

"This is at ninety minutes. The regeneration was almost complete at four hours as predicted. It went just like our animal models."

"Excellent. How soon can we implant the tissue?"

"A month. It should be fully developed and reactive by then."

...

Picking up the cigarette, Kayle took a long drag and leaned back into the seat, already feeling the tension in her shoulders ease. She took off her glasses, setting them onto the table while she shook her chocolate hair out of her face.

"Smoking is gonna kill you one day." Tahlia warned before taking a sip of hot coffee and rested her head in her hand. She had known Kayle since their high school years and still Kayle was as much a chimney as she was back then.

She snorted and held up the cigarette. "Unless you find me a better habit, I'll stick to this."

A couple minutes silently passed as they lounged around the table until the swish of the automated door broke them out of their reverie.

Maya appeared with her bag slung across her shoulder and her connexin in her ear. "Guys, I'm off. I've left the gel running so it should be done by 6." And with that, she left the two to their silence again.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why I'm doing this," Tahlia said, running her fingers over the corners of her eyes, "working late every night is hell on my skin."

Kayle gave her a sympathetic smile, inhaling the smoke and slung her slender arm over her seat.

"Tell me about it. But if they want it done, what are we suppose to say? Just think of the cash, Tahlia. Think of the cash."

Tahlia sat up in her seat. "Where do you think Goddard got the sequencing fragments from? They're pretty unstable to be from humans..."

"Of course it's human – it passed the regulatory board; besides, you shouldn't even be asking, we're not supposed to know."

"Right. 'Cause we're robots. Okay, well I know I'm not the only one who's curious. No commercial cell line is able to replicate so quickly in such a short amount of time."

Kayle shrugged as stubbed the cigarette into the ash tray.

"Do you think they'll really try to get a patent on the transplants? I'm not keen on having any of _that_ stuff in me." Tahlia said with a shudder.

Kayle gave her an incredulous look, shaking her head and aimed a finger to Tahlia's forehead.

"You've been working on the project for three years and _now_ you're asking questions?!"

"Well, maybe it's just pre-testing jitters. I just hope we haven't wasted our time on something that'll fail again."

"Stop asking nonsense questions and keep your head down, alright? Come on, breaks over."

"Yeah." Tahlia said unenthusiastically as she took a gulp of coffee. It was going to be another long night.

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	2. Chapter 2

**::chapter two::  
**

* * *

Rain was beginning to pour down heavily as Tarius entered the mansion. He didn't bother taking his trench coat off, instead shaking off the rain water onto the polished marble tiles. The butler watched the droplets patter onto the tiles and Terius could hear him mentally sighing.

"Would like something to drink, sir?"

"No," he said without waiting, "I'll see myself up." The butler nodded and whisked away, presumably to come back with a mop.

When he reached the top of the elegant stairs, the guard took one glance and immediately stepped aside letting Tarius through the ornately decorated door to the master room with a bow.

"Sir, he's been expecting you."

Tarius stepped into the dark room, making no noise on the plush maroon carpet as the door closed again. The curtains were all drawn shut but his sharpened vision made it easy for him to cross over to the four-post bed draped with heavy velvet curtains. He pulled a side open and sat at a lavish Victorian chair.

"Is that you, my boy?" a slow, raspy voice broke the silence.

"Yes, it's Tarius. I've come to report on the progress the Council has made." A ruffle of sliding material and the frail figure lying on the bed began to sit up with difficulty. Terius made to help, holding out his hands but the dark figure gave a dark glare that flashed gun-metal silver. Terius knew when to back down – he'd lived with the man long enough – so he dropped his hands and sat back in his seat.

"I expected they would not take kindly to your abrupt ascension as a member but to treat an Elder like this is lax. Did they think I was not worthy of the appropriate practices? Instead, they send you here. I'm disappointed." the voice said slowly, rambling on. Was it old – age or just that the Elders loved to hear their own voices?

"It was just a matter of convenience that I was here." Terius said as patiently as possible.

"I have lived long enough to read between the lines. They see me in weakness. Tell me, Tarius. How do they treat you in my absence?"

"They have been accommodating…"

"No. I expected as much. You're still too young to compete with the vultures. Your cousin has been competent in my absence but I anticipate it will all change when my body has regenerated. These treatments are slow but just wait and see. They will be begging for forgiveness when we make our move."

Tarius sat at the chair, patiently waiting for his grandfather to continue his monologue.

"It's been a century, Tarius. A century. I've waited long enough, recounting my mistakes and regrets, I understand what must be done. The time is almost right and the arrangements are soon to be finalised. We must be swift, we can't allow any time to waste, but I know, I can sense our victory is near. My boy, when our dream is realised you will the world as it should be. As it was in the glorious days when our people ruled the world…"

And with that, Lord Boron fell silent, drifting off as the sun began to slip through the cracks of the curtains. Tarius rested his hand on his grandfathers' hand, noting that he never even got a chance to tell him of the progress.

He slipped out the room, and out the mansion, sliding into the seat of his car. He started it up; the electric engine silently humming as he sat idly. A beep alerted him of an incoming message. Grabbing the connexion from the dashboard, he clipped it to his ear and opened the message. The hologram slid out from the corner of his eye and an attractive brunette appeared before him.

_"Hey, baby! Are you free tonight? Please say yes because I barely get to see you! It's a Friday so let's have some fun, ok? Call me back, honey. Bye."_

She blew a kiss and waved before the message terminated. He relaxed back in the leather cushioned driver's seat and sighed. It was a Friday and he hadn't had a good meal in a while. Shifting gears, he stepped on the accelerator and sped out of driveway gates.

…

"So are you going to come with us tonight if all goes according to plan?" Maya asked Terry as they made final preparations before transporting the reconstructed arm to the operating room. They were at St Peter's Hospital, dressed completely in gowns, hair nets, masks, shoe covers and gloves. It was the big day. The day they could either make someone's life easier or hell. Maya was hoping that her first big project as a post-doctorate would be a career boosting success.

"No, I'd rather save it for a dinner with Tahlia…yeah" he said, his love struck eyes clouding over slightly while he set the dials on the stimulator. She could tell he was smiling underneath the face mask he was wearing. Out of the four who worked in the lab, Terry and Maya were the youngest and the kids of the group although she didn't like to think of it like that. She was older than Terry with three more years of field experience since graduating and therefore had more authority, which she used to her advantage to put him in line whenever needed.

Maya scrunched her nose at the thought, "She's got a boyfriend."

"I can take care of that easily." he shot back.

"She's twelve years older."

"Love knows no boundaries!"

"She called you a foetus yesterday."

"Stop breaking trying to break my heart!" he scandalously cried, about to break into tears. She snickered at his doomed determination.

"Ready?" Terry nodded in confirmation and Maya pulled the enclosed container from the incubator, gently placing it on the bench. The pink liquid inside sloshed around and the human arm they'd carefully grown swayed with the liquid.

Unscrewing one of the caps on the container lid, they carefully inserted the electrical probes to just touch the liquid.

"Man, it's creepy to be looking at that without a body." he said with slight disgust. She gave him a look that he couldn't quite decipher with the masks on.

"You helped make this. Man it up, kiddo."

"Hey, you're only older by a year and a half. You can't go around calling me a kid. Clear." he said and she stepped away from the box as he flicked the switch on the stimulator pack. A slight twitch of the fingers.

"Clear." he said again, this time turning the dial higher. They watched, hunched over in fascination as the hand curled reflexively.

"It's kind of creepier when it suddenly moves on its own." Maya mused.

"Just hurry up and take it out!" Kayle said bursting through the room, putting her mask on.

"They've prepped the patient so get the arm into the O.R. now!" And she headed out to the wash room as quickly as she came.

...

The operation itself was simple. The tissue used to regenerate half the arm the patient had lost was developed by extracting a combination of genetic materials taken from different hosts, and inserting them into the patients' own stem cells. It was a relatively simple theory, designed so that the patient wouldn't reject the new appendage and programmed to self attach to the wound. It required reopening the sealed wound but the fast turnover of cell regeneration ensured that the patient would not have to endure a lengthy recovery period.

Lasting only an hour, it was a success. The replicated arm attached itself to the rest of the arm with minimal scarring at the fused sight and within two hours, full movement was achieved. Another day in hospital to monitor the recovery and coordination processes and the patient was free to enjoy his new lease on life.

It was revolutionary technology that paved the way for further medical advancements and again, Clancy was at the forefront.

"This is a giant leap forward towards eradicating the barriers that hinder the advancement of mankind. I'm proud to say that our laboratory has played a crucial part with the help of Biogenics in making history." she said to a completely absorbed board committee who were watching the patient flexing his hand in front of them while camera lights flashed before her.

They erupted in applause and Clancy beamed with her head held high.

…

"Look at her, she's enjoying every bit of the limelight," Tahlia said bitterly, scrunching a napkin and tossing it towards the kitchen television. It passed through the hologram and bounced off the wall. Back at the lab, for a lack of a better hang-out after the showcase, they relaxed at the tea room, watching the news. "I mean, we only got like, two seconds of air-time!"

"Yeah but at least she mentioned us...indirectly." offered Terry as he took a sip of coffee.

Maya slapped the table with her empty cup, "Well, think of it this way. On paper, we just made history. We are going to be in the history books that state that we developed a world-first, fresh-off-the-production-line, made-to-order, self regenerating organs!" That earned her a small cheer around the table and they clinked their mugs together.

"Bring on the patent wars! We're gonna be rich!" Terry exclaimed with glee.

"And you know, soon we're gonna have made to order brains if we're lucky!" Maya said excitedly. They clinked their cups again and cackled as thoughts of money gave a shiny gleam to their eyes.

Tahlia gave a half-hearted look of disgust and tapped the top of their heads with her mug as she passed by to the sink. "Look at you two kids, there's more to it than money! You should be thinking about the lives we're saving!"

Kayle downed the rest of her coffee as they argued, swishing the remnants at the bottom of the mug around.

"You know, implanting those cells into an embryo was something I heard Clancy talking about." she said absent-mindedly all of a sudden, propping her elbow on the table with her chin in her hand.

"To embryos? That's risky; it's a touchy subject, do you reckon it'll get the greenlight?" Maya asked.

"Who cares!" Tahlia knelt on her seat and rapped the table, "we've just finished a three year project and now I want some fun! We've been talking about this for ages. I've already got a place in mind!"

"I can't, got a dinner tonight with the parentals." Terry said glumly.

"That's fine kiddo. We'll have our own fun, right girls?" Terry's eyes narrowed at the nickname, gripping his cup tighter.

Maya jumped in before he could protest, "I can't stay late though, I'm gonna have to come in tomorrow morning to finish the report." She was hesitant when it came to Tahlia's choice of nightspots but she was right. She did need a reward to congratulate herself.

...

"I'll contact channel four on Monday to arrange a suitable time to interview you. You don't mind, do you?" Marius said tapping away at his laptop, his eyes fixed on the screen.

"Of course not."

Clancy waving her hand and she leaned in closer on his desk. "Are you going to be free tonight?"

He ignored her question and continued typing. Clancy would have said something at that but she had a soft spot for Marius. Even though he was sixteen years her junior, she couldn't help but be enamoured by his charms. He certainly didn't mind the attention in any case.

"I'll leave you to enjoy the spotlight then, I have a meeting in Paris."

"Again? You're gone so often, Marius." she pouted her red lips.

"It's not by choice. The committee wanted to see the reports and papers you published in regards to the project before the showcase but I think it'll be fine. Pass them onto Catherine and she can take care of the paperwork for you."

"Well, it's in my office. I had the girls take care of it before they left." That seemed to satisfy Marius as he closed the lid of his laptop and offered her his arm.

"What do you say to dinner tonight? We haven't done that in a while and I think it'd be the perfect occasion to celebrate your latest success." he said with a flash of his charming smile.

Clancy looped her arm through his, beaming with anticipation. "Which restaurant do you have in mind?"

…

A harsh cry escaped her lips as she reach the pinnacle of ecstasy, convulsing with pleasure as Marius gave a muffled grunt and stiffened. He buried his head in her neck, his warm breath brushing over her sensitive skin. After a minute, he gave her a deep kiss before pulling away and rolling over to avoid crushing her underneath.

They stared at the ceiling for a while, regaining their breath and enjoying the buzz humming through their bodies.

"You know, I'm grateful for all the work you've done for us. You've made technological leaps surpassing the boundaries of nature and lifted the company profile at the same time…I don't know what I'd do without you."

Clancy smiled and lazily rubbed his arm, embracing the warmth of another body. She was beginning to forget what another body felt like on her skin, it had been so long since she'd been with Marius. She'd been craving for his touch, full of energy and strength coiled within the toned and taut body. She'd definitely missed him.

"Well, I'm glad to be of service, Marius…tell me more about me." She nipped his ear and leaned in.

He gave one of his devastating smiles and pondered for a second.

"I've enjoyed your dedication to your work, that's something we both share." She made a sound at that and snuggled into him.

"But," he sighed as she began to nuzzle to his neck, "passion for a cause. That's something you need to work on, my dear."

Clancy finally pulled back, slightly offended by his frank honesty. "What are you trying to say, Marius?"

Without warning, razor sharp teeth clamped down onto her neck, puncturing her artery and spraying warm blood into his mouth, a drop slowly trickled onto the bed. Clancy let out a strangled rasp before Marius released her and she saw with horror the transformation in him. His mouth was tinged red but when he threw back his head and laughed, she could see the crimson stained inch long canines that extended to delicate but deadly points and his glowing eyes were swirling with molten gold. She screamed and tried to push away, scratching his torso deeply but translucent skin immediately began form over the gashes before blood could begin to pool on the surface. He gave a feral snarl and dived for a second time, silencing her cry. He tightened his hold on her, one hand gripping the back of her head while the other pressed her to his body, smothering her as she desperately clawed at him. She was already losing consciousness despite the adrenaline rushing through her veins and Marius was enjoying the tingling tang it brought with her life force. It was a few more minutes before he finally released her and quietly got up to dress.

…

"Look at the gourmet available here!" Tahlia exclaimed.

Maya rolled her eyes. She should have been more prepared. She'd dressed for a nice restaurant and maybe a lounge but of all places she had to choose, it was kids club. They were over the ages of teenage rave parties but clearly Tahlia seemed to have missed out during her younger years.

"Pick up your drool bucket, I don't wanna clean the mess." Kayle remarked.

"Oh, but there's so much tasty around!"

The latest craze in town was the new underground basement clubs and it wasn't a surprise there would be hot boys and girls. Maya generally didn't go clubbing but this one was really something. She noted there was a good portion of the crowd that was about her age but it was still pretty young. A lot of teens were spotted and since the area was near the slums, it didn't quite surprise her. The music was a funk of trance and otherworldly beats with lasers dancing all over the place. Platforms hovered above their heads, zooming around the place carrying DJs and half naked dancers sliding along the overhead bars. Paint splashed onto revellers glowed neon under UV lights. Most were wearing a combination of skin-tight vinyl and leather in red and black while some didn't even seem to be wearing much at all.

Maya was beginning to curse at Tahlia for her suggestion of a Friday night activity as a sweaty boy began to dance and rub a bit too close to her. Maya headed to the bar with Tahlia and Kayle in tow.

"If we split up, come back here, okay?" she had to shout into Tahlia's ear to make her understand through the thumping beats. The girl nodded her head with a big grin on her face while Kayle shook her head and mouthed 'it's fine' before she grabbed Tahlia's hand who then gripped Maya's hand and they all headed towards the throng of bodies.

Faces that passed by her gave her a good once over, some of their eyes lingering on her figure-hugging black strapless dress that lightly flared out to end just below halfway down her thighs. She was tempted to go back to the cloakroom and ask for her blazer back but knew there was no point. No doubt, others were also appraising Tahlia whose curvaceous body must have set off a few imaginations. No where near as elegant and conservative as Kayle, she had cleavage almost hanging out of her sleeveless top and a tight mini skirt with strappy heels. Five seconds on the dancefloor and she already had a girl and a boy on either side rubbing up to her. Less revealing, Kayle wore her hair up and a slinky silver cap-sleeved dress that accentuated her curves. They both looked ten years younger than their age.

The hypnotic music was warping into a trance beat, and the people were jostling about. Bodies were pressing against her and she gripped Tahlia's hand to pull herself out of the potential sandwich. It wasn't enough to keep her in her sight though as more bodies were surging onto the dancefloor, swaying and clumping together, lips locking and arms encircling the first body within reach.

With a yelp, something shockingly cold and wet slapped onto her back and shoulder and Maya turned to see that someone had tossed a bucket load of glowing paint in their direction, getting some in her eye. Before she knew it, Maya had lost sight of Tahlia and even as she tried to force her way through, she only ended up at the bar with no sight of the girls at all. Giving up, Maya ordered a gin and tonic and sat at the bar stool watching the crowd sway in mass unison.

This wasn't her idea of relaxing on a Friday night, she would've been content at home on the couch with a blanket wrapped around and some hot tea. Grandmotherly it may have sounded but being near the slums at night made her edgy. The paint didn't help any bit.

_That's it! I'm going home! This is NOT cool!_ She fumed in her head. Her thoughts were interrupted when a smooth voice at her ear chuckled.

"Here. Wipe yourself."

A napkin was held out in front of her and she stared at it blankly for five long seconds.

The owner of the sensuous voice was stunningly attractive. Straight dark hair on white skin, the sculpted lines on his face were exquisite and his eyes! She couldn't make out a specific colour with the flashing laser lights but they were intense. She felt a hot, tingling flush spreading across her body against her will and she found herself at a loss for words. He wore a simple black button up shirt and jeans; a safe choice of an outfit but he probably looked gorgeous in anything else.

_Definitely natural selection at its best._

"Thanks…" She took the napkin entranced by the perfect lines of his face.

"Are you here alone?"

She had paused for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. _Staring. Damn. Stop being such a girl!_

"No, I…" she stammered and then, "I'm with friends." She had to shout through the music into his ear but he smiled anyway.

"So where's your friends?" the perfect stranger said.

"Somewhere in there," she gestured to the dancefloor, "and you?"

"Just me. Been a long day. Just wanna relax and get a drink. What's your name?"

"Miranda." she offered with ease. "And you?"

"Miranda. Pretty. Tarius." he said as he stuck his hand out. A tall girl wearing a loose peach-coloured dress that showed off her dark smooth legs tottered over at the same time, slipping her hand into his and pulling on it.

"Tarius, come out with me," she demanded, giving Maya a once over and turning to stand in between them, "you haven't danced all night, just this once."

She leaned to him, pressing herself against his arm. Maya seemed to take her cue and downed the rest of the drink before sliding off the bar stool and threading her way to the restrooms.

Bitchy as the busty girl was, Maya knew she couldn't compete.

_Leggy brunette or me…hmm…not a hard choice, _she thought as she tried to wipe off the gunk that was plastered on her neck.

By the time she passed by the bar again, the hot boy and girl were gone, which was just as well since she spotted Tahlia and made a beeline for her, ready to give her an earful.

…

It was just beginning to rain with a vengeance as Maya stepped through the rotating doors of the Biogenics building, folding her umbrella and shaking off the rain water. She gave out an involuntary 'phew!' as fat rain droplets pelted the windows outside. Even though it was Saturday and they'd made the biggest breakthrough Maya would ever likely make for the rest of her life and she had the worst headache after the club, there were still a few things to tie up at the office before the results and protocol reports were submitted for Clancy's board meeting on the Tuesday. To be honest, the night actually got better with the help of a few more drinks and by the time they left, she was glad she had a chance to relax a bit and have a laugh. Tahlia and her ideas were either a hit or miss and the stranger last night was the only interesting talking point she'd had for the last month or so. And he was gorgeous too!

_What a wasted opportunity…you'll never get married at this rate,_ she could hear her mother saying.

Balancing the hot coffee in her left hand with the dripping wet umbrella in her right, she walked to the empty reception desk and filled in her timesheet, noting the 'back in five minutes' sign glowing above the desk before heading to the elevator. Swiping her access tag, the doors slid open with a greeting.

_"Please state your floor number."_

"Twenty-three." she said followed by another yawn as the escalator swiftly ascended.

_"It is now, eight, twenty-six, AM. Remember to carry your access tag at all times after hours."_ the automated female voice said as Maya waited for her floor.

_"Floor twenty-three. Enjoy your day."_

Coming to the laboratory door, she held her face out to the retinal scanner but she stopped short of pushing the door since it was already open ajar.

There was no way the door would ever be left open – it was designed to slide close at all times. She realised the corner of a filing cabinet was propped against the door, jamming it open. Panic shot through her as she pushed the door and dropped her coffee in shock. The lab was a mess: bottles tossed on the floor, papers scattered across the benches and the computers smashed and pulled apart. The cupboards were all emptied and the shelves cleared. Another door inside leading to the office was also slid open halfway; sparks were flaring from the door frame. Someone must have fried the electrics to pry the door open. From what she could see from the entrance, it too was ransacked; the computers were swiped off the tables and some books on the shelves were missing. Instantly her immediate concern was the tissue culture samples in the cold room and she bolted across the laboratory to find that the cold room door was also opened. Everything inside was cleared out.

"Oh, shit. Shit, shit, shit." she kept repeating, heading towards the office to inspect the damage. Sparks crackled as she got closer and saw the mess inside. Maya's heart sank as she pulled her phone out of her bag.

She began to dial security when something distinctly dark amongst the papers and bottles strewn on the carpet inside the office caught her eye. She realised a second later that the splotches of dark red patches was actually coagulating blood that smeared off to a side. Her gaze followed the smear and under the desk was a body curled up facing the wall.

She opened her mouth to scream but it was choked in her throat and came out as a hoarse gasp. The body had moved slightly, a male dressed in security uniform, he was shivering. He was covered in blood and she could tell he wasn't one of the usual security guards. Two wounds to the lower back and another near the chest, he was close to dying but Maya immediately knelt down and turned him over. He violently flinched at her touch, throwing her hands off but she held on to his flailing hands.

"Hey! Can you speak? Just hang on, I'll call for help!" Her hands were trembling and the blood coating her fingers didn't help but she scrambled to find her phone.

The man's hand shot out and stopped her in her tracks, "No!...No help!…run…get…way." he rasped out, his haggard breathing wheezing in and out. His lungs must have been filling with blood.

"What…what? I can't…I need to call the ambulance, you're severely injured! Just don't move and try to breathe evenly,"

She tried to dial but the man surprised her with his strength as he yanked the phone away with awkward stiffness. Reaching into his jacket with trembling hands, he thrust a small black folder to her.

"Hide…don't…give…anyone but…Day…brea…" he rasped out with wide eyes, "no one…no…d-day…break…"

"No, no stay with me, sir!"

Maya shoved the folder out of his hands and turned him to his side. She grabbed the phone again and dialled for emergency.

_"National emergency services, please state your emergency."_

"I-I need an ambulance right away at Biogenics Corporation. Forty-four Watson Street," she shouted into the phone.

"Hurry! Oh god, he's bleeding all over the place…"

"Ma'am, please calm down, I need to know what the situation is." The operator on the other end of the line seemed too calm to Maya. Someone was in trouble and the operator was just talking to her as if asking the time of day.

"I have…a male with three wounds on his chest…I think his lungs have collapsed…his breathing is ragged and…hey! Open your eyes! Stay with me, sir!" she frantically tried to put some pressure on the main wound, not caring about the cold blood that was soaking her sleeves and seeping through her jeans.

The stranger didn't respond – he was already dead.

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoyed that! If it was a bit too graphic for you, let me know and I'll tone it down a bit in the later chapters. Random rant, formatting text on this site remains frustrating! Or is it just me being hopeless? Does someone know how to fix spacing issues on ffnet?


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